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Bill Koppos
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So we’re getting toothy are we……my Shark week entry….

February 12, 2013 · in Aviation · · 9 · 1.2K

's P-40E, done up as Colonel Robert Scott's first mount in the CBI theatre. She's pretty much Out of the box except for etched seat harnesses and elastic brake lines. I had to remove the excess windshield frame on the left side of this early release. Decals are from a Super Scale sheet, depicting one of the first P-40E's to come to India from the trans-African route, complete with original US Army red center markings. Here it was "appropriated" (with General Chennault's permission) for Scott's use before it could be sent along to China. This is apparently the way Colonel Scott flew it, after of course the addition of a proper "Shark face", on his original "one man Air force" strafing runs. According to story he had the spinner repainted for each sortie, of course convincing the Japanese of the presence of many 's. This I tried to re-create in the little vignette. I love P-40's and the history of WW2 in this remotest corner of the War has always been of great interest to me.

Model Master paints used. General weathering based on a photo of an African route P-40E in Christopher Shore's "Bloody Shambles' volume II. Oh, and I have replaced the ring sight with a proper Photo-etched one since taking the pics. Thanks for looking.

Reader reactions:
3  Awesome

13 additional images. Click to enlarge.


9 responses

  1. Looks great! Did I start something?

  2. Nice job on the weathering, staining and little "extras"...AND you can paint figures (I can't) - what is that on the control stick -?

    • Thanks. Yeah this guy is one of my better figs. He's a CMK generic mechanic, check out his ankles. CMK always gives their figures tiny feet! As a matter of fact I don't know what's on the stick-it was in the kit. Gotta dig out the Detail and Scale.

  3. Sharp shark... ballsy and very fine job on that windshield sir. Nice panel & rivet accenting too. How do you manage to not knock those crazy antenna wires loose? Great job!

  4. The P-40 is an often under rated aircraft, but I think it's cool. You did a nice job on this one. I like the idea you had for the vignette. Telling a story always adds interest to the model. Nice work and good job on the figure.

  5. Excellent work, Bill. I think I'm going to have to join "shark week".

  6. that's lovely...the cockpit is amazing...the scene is sweet

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